Rumor Has It
by dorkphish9
Summary: Harry learns that not all rumors are true...HPDM...established relationship...fluff piece...a bit of occness...just a teensy bit...


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **yes, so, this does have an established harry/draco pairing. if you are a person who does not like that pairing, then don't read this story. i don't need to get any flames from people who ignore two boy/boy warnings and then proceed to read and talk (type) crap. so, if you don't like slash, don't read. this story is also a fluff piece. i just HAD to have a little happiness from all the angsty stuff i was reading! enjoy the story..oh, and please review...they're worth 1 bazillion points, don't ya know?

HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM HP DM

Tan hands scrubbed furiously at a starched white dress shirt, trying desperately to remove the red blotch staining the crisp cloth. Irritated green eyes looked into the mirror and their owner gave an annoyed huff. 'There's no way this stain's coming out,' the black haired boy thought sullenly, 'Maybe Hermione will know of some kind of stain removing spell.' He _knew _he should have changed into some clothes that were more suitable for working in the greenhouses. 'Well, Neville did try to warn me about the Spraying Vine,' Harry thought grudgingly. He looked back towards his shirt where his hands had stilled their movement and studied the crimson spot. "It's a lost cause," he muttered quietly, throwing the paper towel into the nearby trashcan.

As he was picking up his bag, the bathroom door banged open, signaling the arrival of another boy. Normally, Harry would have ignored the person and made his way out of the bathroom, but this time it was different; the other boy was talking about him! Harry quickly retreated into one of the stalls behind him, dragging his bag along. He was just quietly putting the lock on the door, when the other boys stopped at the line of urinals on the other side of the bathroom. There was a pause, the sound of a zipper, and the sound of "water" running.

"Anyways, like i was saying...what _was_ i saying?" a voice drawled, coming from the urinals. To Harry it sounded like it could have been a Slytherin, with the way the voice seemed to posses an aristocratic lilt.

"You were talking about Harry Potter, man. Honestly, you have, like, a short attention span, or something, dude," a second voice answered, sounding like some kind of surfer or beach bum. This voice seemed to be coming from in front of Harry, over by the row of sinks where he had just been.

"I do not have a short attention span. I just had something else that needed my attention!" There was a pause. "Yes, Potter. We were talking about how much longer we thought the Golden Boy was going to last with Draco." It was at this point that Harry realized that Aristocrat was, indeed, a Slytherin. He knew for a fact that no one outside of the snake pit called the blonde bombshell by his first name except for Harry himself of course, but that was an entirely different story. "I doubt it'll last much longer, maybe another week or so." There was a sound of flushing and Harry could hear Aristocrat's shoes squeaking slightly as he made his way over to the sinks and Beach Bum.

"Why would you say something like that, man? They seem to be doing just fine now," Beach Bum said. Harry felt a rush of gratitude to this boy, even though he didn't know who he was. There were so many people maligning his and Draco's relationship that whenever someone did support it, they quickly found a friend in the couple.

"Come on. Don't tell me you haven't noticed? Draco's been in about 6 "relationships" since the start of term." Aristocrat said. There was a sound of rushing water; apparently he was washing his hands. Harry suddenly wished that hot water would come out, burning the boy's hands, but when there came no sounds of pain filled screams, Harry sighed softly. 'Oh well,' he thought wistfully. Beach Bum apparently had nothing to respond to that, so Aristocrat continued. "First, there was Theo; he lasted, what, like 3 weeks? Then there was Corner, from Ravenclaw, who lasted 2 weeks. And then Pansy, for a week and a half. Then there was what's-his-face. What was his name again?"

"Umm, i think it was, like, Jensen, Jetsen, or something like that?" Beach Bum supplied hesitantly.

"That's right, it was Johnson. I don't even think he lasted a week. After him, there was Millie; that went on for a couple of weeks. And then number 6 was blaise, lasting a grand total of 1 week, and 2 days." The rushing sound of water stopped and Harry could hear paper rustling.

"Okay, so he doesn't seem to last long in relationships...I guess you have a point, man."

"Of course I have a point, I always do. Anyways, give Potter another week maybe even less, and Draco will be on the look out for lucky number 8."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Beach Bum said, his voice heading towards the door.

"We'll be seeing pretty soon, I figure. Hey, did you finish that essay for Flitwick?"

Beach Bum's answer was cut off by the bathroom door closing. A stall door opened, revealing a slightly pale Harry Potter, who made his way to the sink counters. He placed his hands flat on the cool marble and looked at his reflection. 'It's not true. It can't be. Draco _does_ care about me, and this _isn't_ just some careless fling.' A slight shiver ran through him as he thought back to his lover's dating history. Sure, the blond boy had a lot of boyfriends and even a few girlfriends, but this was different. 'Me and Draco will have been together for a month and a half come tomorrow,' he thought, 'That's longer than any of his other relationships.' They loved each other...right? Harry knew that he loved his silver-eyed boyfriend, but what about Draco? Did he love Harry?

Harry shook himself roughly and glared at his reflection. "That is enough of that," he scolded himself, "Draco cares deeply about you, just as much as you do him. Those two idiots had no idea what they were talking about!" He looked closely at his eyes and saw a flicker of doubt shine in their verdant depths. He gave a soft sigh and retrieved his bag from the stall. The only way to put a stop to this was to talk to his blonde boyfriend, face to face.

HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM HPDM

After looking for his missing lover for 15 minutes, Harry finally found him in one of the Potions laboratories. The small room was lined with cabinets and shelves, all filled with books and assorted ingredients. Harry stopped just inside the doorway, taking a moment to bask in the glory that was Draco Malfoy. His platinum blonde hair was stuck to his forehead due to the steam filled air, his silver eyes focused on the cauldron in front of him. His pale hands were alternately stirring the bubbling potion, adding in the next ingredient, and underlining some useful fact in the potions book next to him.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Harry standing inside the doorway, Draco leaning over a simmering cauldron, until the black-haired teen coughed slightly, clearing his throat.

The blonde looked up sharply, an annoyed expression on his face, a retort for the intruder on the tip of his tongue, and his eyes hard with impatience. That all changed, however, when he noticed that the intruder was Harry; his eyes softened a bit, and he gave the tanned boy a small smile before turning back to his potion.

"What brings you here, Harry? I thought you were outside with Longbottom and the other Gryffindorks," Draco asked, flipping a page in his book and adding a pinch of crushed nettles into the simmering mixture.

Harry smiled a bit; he knew that Draco didn't really mean those jokes; at least…he thought he didn't mean them…

"Oh, I was outside, but I had to come back in. The Spraying Vine sprayed me and it got all over my shirt. It was all my fault, you know? Neville did warn me and all…" Harry trailed off, realizing that he was rambling, but not entirely able to stop himself. "I couldn't get the stain out, but I'm sure 'Mione will be able to give me some kind of spell or potion."

"Yeah," Draco said, not looking up from his work, "Granger's clever like that."

Harry bit his lip, knowing that he had to stop stalling and actually talk to his boyfriend about what was bothering him. "Draco? Could I ask you some things?"

The teen in question looked up, and stared at his boyfriend with narrowed eyes, but he nodded. "Sure, Harry. Ask away." He gave the other boy another small smile and turned back to his potion, giving it a few counterclockwise turns.

Harry let out a small sigh. 'It's now or never,' he thought. Before he could stall another second, he blurted out his first question.

"Draco, do you think I'm cute?"

If the blonde thought the question a bit odd, he didn't show it, but continued on stirring the solution. Harry was starting to think that his boyfriend had not heard him and was about to repeat the question when Draco answered.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

Harry was a bit surprised, but he passed over it. He hadn't really been meaning to ask that question; it was just one of those things that he had heard girls asking their boyfriends. So, ignoring the small weight settling in his stomach, he ploughed on with his next question.

"Do I ever cross your mind?"

"No," came the straightforward answer.

Startled, Harry looked over at Draco who kept his head bent over the steaming cauldron. Harry shifted his weight from one foot to the other, starting to feel a slight bit nervous.

"Do you like me?"

"Not really."

The words from the boys in the bathroom echoed in Harry's head, making him feel slightly nauseous.

"Do you want me?"

"No."

Now Harry was wringing his hands and wondering what in the name of Merlin possessed him to come down here in the first place.

"Would you cry if I left?"

"Can't say that I would."

Harry looked at the blonde incredulously. 'How can he act so nonchalant?' he wondered. 'Maybe…' he thought, 'maybe those guys were right…maybe I am just another fling…' Harry decided o continue on with his questions, steadily becoming more desperate with each of the pale teen's answers.

"Would you live for me?"

"No."

"Would you do anything for me?"

"No."

"Choose- me or your life."

"My life…hey, hand me that bottle of beetle legs, will you?"

Harry took in a deep breath in the suddenly airless room. He turned and fled, too shocked and hurt to hear Draco calling after him. The shorter teen felt hot tears running down his cheeks; he quickly wiped them off. He heard the telltale stomps of running feet coming up behind him and knew that he had to get away. Not slowing down, he turned a corner and ducked into an empty classroom. Peeking out of the gap left by the slightly ajar door, he watched as Draco ran past him and turned down a hallway. Harry waited for the other teen's footfalls to fade away before letting out a long breath and sliding slowly to the floor.

How the hell could this have happened to him? Harry pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face and muffling his sobs in his kneecaps and folded arms. How stupid was he to have actually believed that Draco Malfoy, notorious Playboy and Sex God of Slytherin, would actually care deeply about, and want to be with, him. 'Merlin, I feel like such a naïve 5 year old. Those guys were right,' Harry thought sadly.

He looked around the dusty classroom dejectedly, tears still running down his face. "I'm so pathetic," Harry moaned quietly, throwing his head back. It connected with the wall, making a small _thunk_ sound, but he didn't feel it; his heart and spirit were hurting too much to notice anything else. Harry did not know how long he spent just sitting there in the grungy disused classroom; he only knew that when he looked out of the window, the sky was dark and the moon was coming out. He sighed morosely and wiped his runny eyes with one sleeve and his runny nose with the other. He stood up, using the wall to support him.

He opened the door slowly and walked out of the room, promptly colliding with a warm solid something. He looked up and noticed that the warm solid something was actually a warm solid Draco who was looking down at him, smiling softly. With a strangled sob, Harry made to push himself away but he didn't get too far before Draco's strong arms closed around him. He fought weakly for a few seconds, but soon stopped; he didn't care anymore, he had already made a fool of himself. The only thing he could do was to just hear the breakup speech that he was sure would be coming and then avoid the boy for the rest of the term.

The moment that Draco felt the black-haired teen sag against him, he tightened his arms around him and laid his cheek against the top of his boyfriend's messy mop. "Harry?" he asked, quietly, unsure of the shorter teen's response. He smiled a bit when he heard Harry sniff and mutter something unintelligible. "I didn't quite catch that, love. Could you say it again?"

Harry pulled back slightly, and locked his watery green eyes with worry-clouded silver ones. "Are you breaking up with me now?" he asked in a small, unsure voice. Draco was shocked; who or what put that idea into his boyfriend's head? He studied the other boy closely; he looked almost…_afraid_ of whatever he had to say.

"Harry, I don't know what gave you that ide-," Draco suddenly stopped, remembering the scene that had played out right before Harry had run out of the room. He looked back into his boyfriend's emerald eyes. He hadn't been joking with those questions, had he? Draco swallowed and pulled Harry closer to him, tucking the shorter teen's head underneath his chin. They stayed like that for a few moments while Draco gathered his thoughts and Harry waited for the final blow to come.

Draco pulled away slightly and took Harry's face in his hands. He smiled slightly when, despite his worry and fear, Harry gently pressed his cheek against the pale skin. He took a deep breath and looked once again into Harry's eyes.

"Harry, I don't think you're cute, I think you're beautiful. The reason you never cross my mind is because you're always on my mind. I don't like you, Harry. I. Love. You." After this proclamation, Draco leaned down and captured Harry's soft lips with his own in a sweet chaste kiss. They pulled apart after only a second, and Draco continued, "The reason I don't want you is because I need you. If you ever left, I wouldn't cry, I would die. I wouldn't live for you, Harry, I would die for you," Draco paused here to run his thumb softly across Harry's cheekbone and across his parted lips. Keeping is eyes locked with his boyfriend's, he continued, "The reason why I'm not willing to do anything for you is because I would do everything for you. And I chose my life, because, believe it or not Harry Potter, you ARE my life."

They were both silent for a second, staring into each others eyes. Harry seemed to be looking for something; what, Draco didn't know, but it seemed that he had found it because his lips were pressed against his in a needy, passion filled kiss. Draco ran his tongue lightly across Harry's bottom lip and delved further when the other boy gave entry. They stayed, locked in their embrace, clinging tightly to each other, for several minutes. Finally, in desperate need of oxygen, they broke apart, panting slightly.

"Do you mean it, 'Co? All of that?" Harry asked, twining his fingers with Draco's own.

"Yes," the Slytherin Ice Prince said softly, running his free hand through Harry's messy locks, tucking a stray piece behind his ear.

"But, what about your other relationships?"

Draco could have easily asked what the younger teen meant by that, but he didn't; this was too perfect a moment, "This is different, Harry. Those others…I never felt the same way for them that I do for you. I want us to last, 'Ry. I love you."

Harry shot Draco a smile so sweet that he would have melted at the boy's feet if he wasn't being supported by him. "I love you too, Draco."

They embraced once more and then Draco started leading the way towards the Gryffindor common room. He had a sudden thought and turned his head towards his quietly humming lover.

"Harry, what started all of this? Why'd you come down to the labs in the first place?"

The other boy blushed slightly, but answered in a strong tone, "Just some stupid rumors that said we wouldn't last. I'm sorry for being so melodramatic about it."

Draco just smiled and pulled Harry closer as they walked. "You're cute when you're being a drama queen, and yes I mean queen," he added as he saw the mock glare boyfriend shot him. "I guess we'll just have to prove those rumors wrong. Sound like a good idea, love?"

Harry wound his arm around Draco's waist and leaned his head on the other boy's shoulder. "It's sounds like a wonderful idea, 'Co."

The two lovers continued through the cold hallways of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, needing only themselves and their love to keep warm.


End file.
